Curran: Uproar over Brady starting is a tad over the top

Curran: Uproar over Brady starting is a tad over the top

News Tom Brady will start Thursday night seems to have alarmed the pearl-clutchers in the New England region. Those that haven’t fainted dead away are furiously fanning themselves with their hymnals wondering why, Why, WHY????!!!!!

I honestly don’t understand the question.

I mean, I see where people can make a case for a different kind of rotation than Brady to Jacoby Brissett with Jimmy Garoppolo just watching.

I can make a case for Garoppolo playing. Watch this!

Garoppolo is coming off a week where penalties, drops and pressure helped him have a bad night in Carolina. Additionally, he exhibited a high level of squirreliness, hasn’t shown the requisite “first, do no harm” mindset necessary on every possession and kinda needs to be back on the steed, if you ask me.

Brady? He’s as tuned up as he needs to be. The most important guy Thursday night is Brissett. The young man’s been very good – statistically perfect last week – but he needs to get out of the “MEDIUM” cage and step into the “FAST.”

A start for him Thursday would at least be a step up from what he’s been seeing late in games.

But - if I follow the Patriots logic correctly (and it's pretty clear what it is) Brissett’s development is precisely why Jimmy will be on ice.

If you use your Jimmy and break your Jimmy then you’re looking at Jacoby without a net. If you break your Tommy, it’s got a month to heal.

So why risk your Jimmy? That’s the Patriots line of thinking.

It’s not beyond all comprehension as these folks and a few dozen others expressed.

It is, however, a decision which invites conversation. And is - as I mentioned last week when we went through this prior to the Panthers game - one of the little irritation and annoyances the entire team has to deal with because of the Deflategate suspension. Goodell's penalty isn't just felt by Brady.

For the record? Brady hasn’t played in the fourth preseason game since 2011.

Weigh in here:

What part of Bill Belichick's decision about tonight's preseason finale do you question the most?

The Pats signed McClellin to a three-year deal prior to the 2016 season, but that was the only season in which he played for the team. McClellin missed all of last season due to injury. Prior to coming to New England, McClellin played four seasons with the Bears, who chose him 19th overall in 2012.

McClellin's biggest contribution with the Pats came when he blocked a Justin Tucker kick in Week 14 of the 2016 season against the Ravens.